Cooperative incentive and promotion system and method for use on a computer networking system

Abstract

A cooperative incentive and promotion system and method encouraging subscription to electronic presentment and payment (EPP) vendor services, such as electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) and/or electronic statement presentment (ESP) services, wherein a consumer engaging in a bill paying or printed statement review process is induced to access a global networking system, such as the Internet, during that process. Positive inducement is provided on a bill or statement envelope, a remittance envelope, directly on the bill or statement or on an insert therewith, wherein a sweepstakes offer, coupon or discount offer promoting a specific business, product or service is prominently displayed, wherein access to the Internet is required and utilized for receipt thereof, and wherein coincident promotion of EBPP and/or ESP subscription is provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of encouraging subscription to electronic presentment and payment (EPP) services, comprising the steps of: 
 a) securing a bill or statement provider, wherein said provider receives a fee for participation in said method;    b) securing an advertiser, wherein said advertiser pays a fee for participation in said method;    c) selecting a display location for a printed offer for inclusion with said bill or statement;    d) printing said printed offer on said selected display location for inclusion with said bill or statement, wherein said printed offer comprises a reward for a product or service and direction to a first web site for activating and obtaining said reward coupon;    e) mailing said bill or statement to a consumer with said printed offer included therewith;    f) receiving of said bill or statement and said printed offer by consumer;    g) engaging of consumer in bill paying and statement review process;    h) accessing by consumer of said first web site to activate and obtain at least one reward comprising a coupon, discount, sweepstakes entry or notification of winnings and to view a link to a second web site; and    i) accessing by consumer of said second web site via hyperlink of first web site, wherein subscription to electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) and/or electronic statement presentment (ESP) services is enabled thereby.    
     
     
         2 . The method of encouraging subscription to EPP services of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 c′) providing a printed offer message for participant approval.    
     
     
         3 . The method of encouraging subscription to EPP services of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 d′) printing said printed offer on said selected display location for inclusion with said bill or statement, wherein said printed offer includes direction to a second web site for subscription to electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) and/or electronic statement presentment (ESP) services.    
     
     
         4 . A method of inducing consumer subscription to electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) and/or electronic statement presentment (ESP) services, comprising the step of: 
 a) offering at least one reward to the consumer, wherein access to a global networking system such as the Internet is utilized for receipt thereof.    
     
     
         5 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said reward offer is displayed on at least one envelope.  
     
     
         6 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 5 , wherein a first reward offer is displayed on a first said at least one envelope and a second reward offer is displayed on a second at least one envelope.  
     
     
         7 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one reward is a discount offer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one reward is a specified value credit voucher.  
     
     
         9 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one reward is a redemption voucher for a good or service.  
     
     
         10 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one reward is a sweepstakes entry.  
     
     
         11 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 4 , wherein said access to a global networking system such as the Internet to receive said offer of said at least one reward enables consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP service.  
     
     
         12 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 11 , wherein access to a global networking system to receive said offer is via at least one uniform resource locater (URL) specified in said offer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one URL directs the consumer to a web page, said web page comprising said offer and at least one hyperlink.  
     
     
         14 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 13 , wherein a first said at least one hyperlink directs the consumer to a sponsor of said offer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 14 , wherein a second at least one hyperlink directs the consumer to a web site of a billing and statement provider.  
     
     
         16 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 15 , wherein the web site of a billing and statement provider has at least one hyperlink directing a consumer to at least one EPP vendor.  
     
     
         17 . The method of inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP services of  claim 16 , wherein the consumer is awarded a subscription incentive to the consumer upon subscription to at least one EPP vendor service.  
     
     
         18 . A method for use by a marketing host for establishing a cooperative promotion system for inducing consumer subscription to EBPP and/or ESP, comprising the steps of: 
 a) securing an agreement between the marketing host and at least one bill or statement provider;    b) securing an agreement between the marketing host and at least one promotional sponsor;    c) providing a fee from said at least one promotional sponsor to the marketing host;    d) providing compensation from the marketing host to said at least one provider for cooperative participation in said promotion method.    
     
     
         19 . The method of establishing a cooperative promotion system of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of: 
 e) enabling monitoring of performance of said cooperative promotion system.    
     
     
         20 . The method of establishing a cooperative promotion system of  claim 19 , wherein said monitoring of performance of said cooperative promotion system comprises tracking of access to at least one URL.  
     
     
         21 . The method of establishing a cooperative promotion system of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of: 
 f) enabling downloading of said monitoring data.    
     
     
         22 . The method of establishing a cooperative promotion system of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 b′) securing an agreement between the marketing host and at least one EBPP or ESP provider;    b″) receiving a fee from said at least one EBPP or ESP provider to the marketing host;    c′) providing a compensation from the marketing host to said at least one EBPP or ESP provider for cooperative participation in said promotion method.    
     
     
         23 . The method of establishing a cooperative promotion system of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of: 
 a′) receiving a fee from said at least one provider to the marketing host.    
     
     
         24 . A method of consumer subscription to electronic bill payment, comprising the steps of: 
 a) printing a reward advertisement on an envelope, wherein said reward advertisement promotes at least one reward and directs the consumer to a global network website; and    b) providing a link on said global network website to an electronic bill payment service.